A New Start
by karensmith
Summary: A MerDer one-shot short story. 2 new people to Seattle and a little girl all forge a new life together as a family. AU


**The Meeting**

He had seen her come into the bar in jeans and a ruffled plaid shirt, enchanted by her appearance, her aura and the beautiful tint of green in her eyes. He watched her sink down onto a bar stool and ask for straight tequila despite the early hours of the day. Realizing she was obviously a woman with a story with hidden pain, just like him.

He knew he had to talk to her, if he didn't he'd regret it for a long time to come. Slowly emerging from his secluded dark corner with his empty glass in his hand, he coolly as he could walked up to the bar and slid in beside her. Signaling the bartender to refill his glass, although he really didn't want anymore scotch.

She looked up at him and his blue clashed with her green. They both knew it, they both saw it and it took both their breaths away. The instant connection they had.

"Hi." she shyly said to him while fidgeting with a piece of her hair that had galled in front of her face and tucked it behind her ears.  
"Hi, new around here?" he asked mentally berating himself for being so dorky.  
"Well yes or no. Not really." she rambled on looking confused if she was new to Seattle or not and mentally kicking herself for being such a bumbling idiot. Derek laughed at how cute she was.  
"Yes and no, interesting." he said as she blushed before she clarified herself. "I was born here but moved away to Boston when I was little and now I'm back."  
"Now you're back." he smiled nodding his head.  
"Not alone." she blurted out thinking to herself that she needed shutting up. Derek's face fell slightly and Meredith realized she also needed kicking in the shins. "No no I don't mean with a guy. I'm not alone I have a little girl Ana. Just her and me, alone no guy, no boyfriend. Nobody but us in my mom's old ugly decorated dusty house. You probably think I'm crazy now for telling you all this, its okay you can just ignore Me." she sighed putting her head down on the bar. Waiting for him to grab his drink and run for the hills, instead what he did shocked her, she grabbed his drink and sat down right next to her, pulled himself closer and whispered in her ear.  
"I don't want to ignore you, I've only known you a few minutes and I already know you're someone I need to get know further and want in my life."

She lifted her head up staring at him in disbelief but seeing the sparkle and honesty in his eyes and she smiled before emerging her small hand in front of him. "I'm Meredith." "Derek" he countered with taking her hand in his and they both felt the sparks. The instant connection again.

"So no husband right?"  
"No husband," she smirked.  
"I don't either in case you're wondering."  
"Wondering if you had a husband?" she smirked with a hint of mischievousness as he rolled her eyes.  
"No, I have no wife." he laughed.  
"Well good" she replied before sighing. "I do however have a toddler currently screaming her way through daycare orientation across the street I have to go pick up." she said sadly as she slowly emerged from her barstool. He didn't want her to go, he just felt he found what ever he was looking for right here in her eyes.

"Let me walk with you." He offered standing and holding his hand out for her.

"Are you sure, I don't…"

"I'm sure." He interrupted looking directly in the eyes of this woman that after just a few short moments has made his world stop and forge a new course of direction for him.

"Ok." She smiled shyly, blushing at the scrutiny and look he was giving her.

Taking his hand the two exited the bar together looking very much like a couple. To all inside the bar, those coming into the bar and those seeing the two enter the hospital arm and arm. Laughing and learning more about each other along the way to the hospital daycare.

"Favorite ice cream?" Meredith called out playing this back and forth game with Derek as they walked through the hospital.

"Coffee." He said as she made an "ick" face.

"Coffee's to be drunk, not frozen and eaten with a spoon." She told him while he laughed.

"You will just have to try it then, I'll convert you." he told her cockily.

"Oh you will, will you?"

"Hmmm."He affirmed with a sparkle in his eye. A sparkle that Derek knew had never been there before. He'd been in relationships, but he'd never found that one. The one that he wanted a forever with. That is until now. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted so much but he knew they were virtual strangers. She was going to be his student, she had a young child. He had to be practical about this, before he could continue his whether to kiss her in the middle of the hall debate in his head or not he got interrupted.

"Save me save me save me." He heard a little adorable voice call out as he saw a flash of blond hair barrel into his legs and lodge herself in-between him and Meredith. Meredith gasped instantly and squatted down to floor.

"Analiese Brianne Grey!" Meredith scowled crossing her arms. "What are you doing running out of daycare screaming like that." She quietly scolded while the daycare monitor came rushing out into the hall after her, seeing Analiese with her mother and the man the entire hospital knew was the new neuro department head standing very close.

"Save me don't like it." She pouted to Meredith crossing her arms to mimic her mother. Derek looked at the two staring each other down in similar poses and he couldn't help himself, he started laughing at the two. This caused Meredith to unleash her "mom" scolding look on him. It also caused Analiese to look at the stranger.

"You save me? Up?" Analiese pleaded to him, stretching her chubby cute arms out to Derek to lift her up. Derek melted at her little green eyes that tinted on a blue. He couldn't resist, he bent down lifting her up as her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled back to look directly at him.

"What name?"

"What's my name?" Derek asked her back as she nodded. "I'm Derek." He smiled at her.

"Der save me Momma." She said as she twisted around to face a lightly melted Meredith who had stood back and watched the two interact with a bit of shock. Analiese didn't take well to strangers, hence her detest of daycare and new people. But she had just barreled into Derek and instantly connected to him, just like Meredith had.

"Analiese." Meredith started, Analiese knew Meredith was going to send her back which caused her to tighten her arms around Derek's neck burying her head into his neck mumbling "no go no go."

"Ana, I went to daycare when I was little. My dad was a doctor and when he was at work I stayed at the hospital. It was fun, you want to know why?" he asked her sweetly.

"Why?" he mumbled out lifting her head up, Derek's heart breaking at the sight of the tears in her eyes after just knowing her for a few minutes.

"Because I could see him when ever I want. You'll be here at work with your momma and you'll see her when ever she can."

"you too?" she asked him, Derek wasn't expecting that, looking up at Meredith with wide eyes he noticed that she had matching tears to her little girl. Derek looked back down at Analiese before kissing the side of her head and whispering "and me too."

**Creating a Life**

That night Derek took his girls as he called them for pizza, which turned out to be their favorite. Joking that he came along at the perfect time, they needed him to save them from a lifetime of unhealthiness.

While Meredith and Derek both had weeks before starting Seattle Grace, they spent that down time getting to know each other. The 2 of them took Analiese to the parks, the Space Needle, the Aquarium and Derek's personal favorite riding the ferry boats to the islands.

They had become a little unofficial family. He helped her move into her mother's house, fetched boxes, put together Analiese's toys and her crib. They ate dinner together, spent their days together and after a while he started sharing Meredith's room with her. They both knew it was fast, but they both also knew it was fate and true love.

The closer it got to the start of work the more nervous Meredith got. She was in love with and living with her boss, her teacher. She knew Analiese had forgotten about daycare and now probably thought she'd just stay home with her and Derek forever waking up to Derek making pancakes and spending the day playing together.

Analiese's new favorite word was 'daddy.' She had never uttered it before in her 3 years but the other morning she escaped from her crib, crawled into bed in-between her and Derek saying she wanted to sleep with mommy and daddy. Neither Meredith nor Derek corrected her and Derek couldn't look more honored or loved every time she calls him that.

She was grateful the night before that she and Derek had dinner with the Chief of surgery and his wife Adele. She didn't want to start her internship out as the intern sleeping with her boss to get ahead, she wanted it known that this relationship with Derek was before work and they were so much more.

While Chief Webber wasn't all that enamored with his new attending involved with his new intern. He respected they came to him with the truth first and disclosed everything to him. Derek made it clear that this was for keeps, she knew it was but hearing Derek declare his intention to marry her just made her heart skip a beat.

The night before the 3 of their's first day at Seattle Grace. Derek made an outdoor dinner. It was a balmy July night, so they cooked out while Analiese jumped in and out of her little pool. Meredith sat back on the swing with a glass of wine in her hand just watching her family, the 2 people she loved more than anything and thanking the stars she was so lucky to walk into that bar those weeks ago and find him.

"Come on you." Derek laughed as he play chased Analiese with a towel. Trying to get her to dry off so they could sit and have dinner. Analiese just giggled as she continued splashing around in the pool running from him and getting him wet in the process. Meredith could help but laugh at how adorable they were together and how much they loved each other.

**A New Start**

It was her first day and she was hoping it would go off without much fan fare, however her 3 year old had other plans. Derek had to go in earlier and he wasn't here to calm Analiese down with the mention of the word 'daycare.' He also wasn't here to hold either of their hands as they entered the large reception area of the hospital where all the interns had congregated. Her peers, her boss, her Resident. They all now knew she was a mother.

She was already in her scrubs, she just had to do the hardest thing and that was the drop off and she hadn't intended for it to happen in front of all her peers and future bosses. She silently prayed Ana would be ok, or at least wait to throw her tantrum until after Meredith was out of sight. She prayed for Derek to materialize, but quickly realized considering the audience that may not be a good idea either. While the Chief was fine with their status and knew about them, she wasn't ready to deal with an entire hospital just yet. At least not without a big breakfast, a lot of coffee and not a toddler awaiting a tantrum.

While Analiese had relented on going back to daycare weeks ago after the orientation tantrum, weeks had passed since then. Weeks of being spoiled rotten being home with not only Meredith everyday, but also now she had Derek wrapped around her finger. Spending day and night with both of them was probably going to make this now worse.

Once Analiese saw the familiar path Meredith was on, remembering the journey from the orientation day. Analiese instantly stiffened against her, her hands tightening their hold, her legs matching.

"But mommy no, no alone." Analiese whimpered.  
"Ana, I'm sorry but it's my first day at work. You have to stay in daycare. I promise I'll get you at lunch or Daddy will. You'll make friends, you'll color and have fun. You love coloring right." Ana nodded her head which was still lodged in the crook of Meredith's neck. Her legs still were wrapped around Meredith's waist in a strong vice grip hold..

Analiese lifted her head after hearing the elevator ding and instantly saw Derek come out of the elevator behind them. Dressed in his navy blue lab scrubs and his pristine new white lab coat didn't deter Analiese from recognizing the man who she'd come to know and love as her father. .

She swiftly unlocked her legs and slid down Meredith's body jolting Meredith quickly as to where she wanted to go. If she was making an escape, her confusion was answered when Ana started yelling down the hall and running as fast as her little 3 year old legs could take her. Not caring if she was in a hospital and who was looking at her, which was everyone.

"Daddy daddy daddy." She smiled yelling loudly repeating herself as she ran towards him. Causing everyone to look towards her and towards the man she was calling her father. Derek saw her coming and shrunk down to catch the speeding toddler headed to collide with his legs. Grabbing her up around the waist and holding her in his arms as she latched her hands on his smiling face. Staring at the little perfect girl with such love.

"Come daycare?" she asked him with her bright hopeful eyes that he wouldn't send her alone.

"Ah honey" he smiled kissing the side of her face, feeling a jab of pain for having to leave her alone there where she didn't want to be, as Meredith walked up to them. Noticing the look on Meredith's face he knew he had to be strong and not give in.

"I can't go to daycare with you, I have to work with mommy, but when I have time I'll come save you how about that?" he smiled at the little girl that had stolen his heart just like her mother. She nodded reluctantly, "how about I take you to daycare with mommy?" he asked her hoping she wasn't going to put up much of a fight in front of the entire nurses desk, Meredith's fellow interns, the chief of surgery and the residents in charge of the interns. All of whom had just witnessed a scene that will sure be the run of the hospital gossip mill.

He is very grateful at the moment that he and Meredith had dinner with the Chief and his wife Adele earlier this week to disclose their relationship. Having the Chief find out about them from Analiese running through the hospital towards him yelling daddy would have been not good.

"You're going to get a lot of questions." He murmured in her ear as he glanced at the other interns basically point and whisper at them.

"I won't be the only one" Meredith whispered noticing how some of the nurses were eyeballing him with narrow eyes. Like it was a crime of him to have a family. "It's too late now, I can handle it. Let's get this one in day care before she changes her mind." Meredith whispered as she ran her hands through Analiese's hair.

"I have a feeling the second we turn our back she'll be making a Prison Break like on TV." Derek and Meredith laughed as they walked towards the daycare.

"Would it be different?" Meredith wondered out loud glancing back at the looks she was getting from her peers.

"What do you mean?"  
"If I hadn't walked into that bar those weeks ago and you met me today standing over there with everyone else." She pondered biting on her lower lip, shy to look at him.

"I would have fallen instantly in love with you here instead of at Joe's. That would be the only difference, I still would have fell in love with you." He whispered as he kissed her lightly on her lips while taking her hand and entering the daycare office to drop off their daughter for the day.

The new day of their new jobs and life together.


End file.
